Ah, "Smile Time." This episode was pretty much exactly what I love about AtS ("Angel" the show) all in one episode. Humor, dark and creepy twists, interpersonal relationships -- all done just right. Not the best episode of the season or the series, just a pretty much capsule-perfect episode of "Angel." So I figure I'm kinda depressed today simply because it hit me again that the show's been cancelled and just as the new team is really starting to hit its stride (much like season one), they're going to have to wrap it all up.

Now, about those interpersonal relationships... I think fenchurche said it best in her LJ. It's got to have been several months since the events of "You're Welcome"/"1943" (aka "Why We Fight"). The gang has come to grips with Cordelia's death. Nina's become a regular, and so obviously infatuated with Angel that the girls in the stenopool are gossiping about their boss missing the signals. Spike comes in and gets a new car every time another one goes into the drink (and for some reason, possibly because he was a puppet, Angel didn't bat a felt eye). Fred finally sees Wesley. And THERE'S a ship I didn't realize I'd be on board with until I actually saw it -- and wondered why they couldn't have Fred show her changing feelings like, a year ago?!? As recently as Halloween, and "Life of the Party," Wes was her best buddy (almost her sister, f'heavens sake). Of course, if Fen is correct, everything that's happened was back in November and possibly December, and now it's February (as Knox said, he just missed Valentine's Day). Months we didn't get to actually see. Still, four months (Halloween to Valentine's Day) isn't much time for Wes to go from sexless shoulder buddy to lover, but stranger things have happened. After all, I'm personally in a wonderful relationship which started as a long-term, non-romantic friendship and became something more almost overnight. Still, this is fiction, and there should have been something showing us this sooner (and I don't mean Fred's Significant Look in "1943"). Of course, a simple "previously on Angel" and a "two months later" scroll on the screen could have sufficed... All that aside, I'm surprised to find I suddenly like Fred and Wes together, because I really didn't think I would, so I'm willing to see it through. Of course, to me the (mostly) unspoiled, next week looks ominous. Since I'm on digest on BAPS, sometimes I see things I don't want to see as I'm scrolling past, but I retain my high hopes. AtS has never let me down before (I am a stalwart fan of season four).

Good things: Little Puppet Angel is so darned cute, I want one. They should market a line. With cute little vamp face. Bwahahahaha! I thought I'd bust a gut when Puppet Angel said, "I got a lot of demon in me," and vamped out. So VERY cute under the desk hiding from Nina, so adorable when he's saying, "No, Nina! Bad Nina!" after the full moon came out, so cute when he came to ask her to breakfast. If several months have indeed passed since "You're Welcome," then I have to say I like seeing Angel dealing with Cordy's loss, and moving on (not BACK to you-know-who). And, oh, Wes... thanks for FINALLY giving Angel that pep talk. Should have done it before, but I guess we've all been busy. I've never thought the whole curse thing was just the sex, anyway. Best Power Walk EVER. Spike's one scene was deliciously funny. Never open a door that says "Don't."

Quotable quotes: "I do not have puppet cancer!" "You're a wee little puppet man!" "I'm made of felt. And my dose comes off." "Oh my God, I ate him!" "You heard the puppet." "Could be the Joker." "Is there a Geppetto in the house?" "I love you guys!" Kudos to Boreanez for super voice work.

Ah, "Smile Time." This episode was pretty much exactly what I love about AtS ("Angel" the show) all in one episode. Humor, dark and creepy twists, interpersonal relationships -- all done just right. Not the best episode of the season or the series, just a pretty much capsule-perfect episode of "Angel." So I figure I'm kinda depressed today simply because it hit me again that the show's been cancelled and just as the new team is really starting to hit its stride (much like season one), they're going to have to wrap it all up.

Now, about those interpersonal relationships... I think <lj user=fenchurche> said it best in her LJ. It's got to have been several months since the events of "You're Welcome"/"1943" (aka "Why We Fight"). The gang has come to grips with Cordelia's death. Nina's become a regular, and so obviously infatuated with Angel that the girls in the stenopool are gossiping about their boss missing the signals. Spike comes in and gets a new car every time another one goes into the drink (and for some reason, possibly because he was a puppet, Angel didn't bat a felt eye). Fred finally sees Wesley. And THERE'S a ship I didn't realize I'd be on board with until I actually saw it -- and wondered why they couldn't have Fred show her changing feelings like, a year ago?!? As recently as Halloween, and "Life of the Party," Wes was her best buddy (almost her <b>sister</b>, f'heavens sake). Of course, if Fen is correct, everything that's happened was back in November and possibly December, and now it's February (as Knox said, he just missed Valentine's Day). Months we didn't get to actually see. Still, four months (Halloween to Valentine's Day) isn't much time for Wes to go from sexless shoulder buddy to lover, but stranger things have happened. After all, I'm personally in a wonderful relationship which started as a long-term, non-romantic friendship and became something more almost overnight. Still, this is fiction, and there should have been something showing us this sooner (and I don't mean Fred's <b>Significant Look</b> in "1943"). Of course, a simple "previously on Angel" and a "two months later" scroll on the screen could have sufficed... All that aside, I'm surprised to find I suddenly like Fred and Wes together, because I really didn't think I would, so I'm willing to see it through. Of course, to me the (mostly) unspoiled, next week looks ominous. Since I'm on digest on BAPS, sometimes I see things I don't want to see as I'm scrolling past, but I retain my high hopes. AtS has never let me down before (I am a stalwart fan of season four).

Good things: Little Puppet Angel is so darned cute, I want one. They should market a line. With cute little vamp face. Bwahahahaha! I thought I'd bust a gut when Puppet Angel said, "I got a lot of demon in me," and vamped out. So VERY cute under the desk hiding from Nina, so adorable when he's saying, "No, Nina! Bad Nina!" after the full moon came out, so cute when he came to ask her to breakfast. If several months have indeed passed since "You're Welcome," then I have to say I like seeing Angel dealing with Cordy's loss, and moving on (not BACK to you-know-who). And, oh, Wes... thanks for FINALLY giving Angel that pep talk. Should have done it before, but I guess we've all been busy. I've never thought the whole curse thing was just the sex, anyway. Best Power Walk EVER. Spike's one scene was deliciously funny. Never open a door that says "Don't."

Quotable quotes: "I do not have puppet cancer!" "You're a wee little puppet man!" "I'm made of felt. And my dose comes off." "Oh my God, I ate him!" "You heard the puppet." "Could be the Joker." "Is there a Geppetto in the house?" "I love you guys!" Kudos to Boreanez for super voice work.

<lj-cut text="General rant about television here">I don't watch much in the way of hour-long dramas -- largely, I aim for the "dramady" when I watch hour-long shows (except for straight-up SF&F, which usually balances humor and drama, anyway). Some of my passions through the years have been: <i>Moonlighting, Northern Exposure, Picket Fences, Babylon 5, Star Trek DS9</i> and <i>TNG, Chicago Hope, Buffy,</i> and <i>Angel</i>. I liked <i>Ally McBeal</i> okay but didn't come on board until very late (due to my general beef with David E. Kelley, who tends to abandon old shows when he gets a new one and leave the old one floundering... hmmm... JW?), and sorta liked <i>Boston Public</i> for a while, too, but dropped off cold (without missing it) when it left Monday nights. I tried <i>ER</i> and while it's excellent television, well-acted and well-written, I just didn't stick with it; I also felt the same way about several others, where the seriousness is, well, too serious (such as <i>The West Wing</i> and <i>Law & Order</i>). I tend to watch TV to laugh, and largely, I'm drawn to stories and characters with some humor along with their angst. I know I'll probably be able to give up <i>Smallville</i> cold turkey when it's no longer leading in to <i>Angel</i>. Genre television is going to drop down to nothing but <i>Smallville</i> & <i>Charmed</i> (which I've never watched, and never felt like I've missed anything) next season, and I believe I will refuse to watch the new "Dark Shadows" on WB next season on principle (hey, if they can have one angst-ridden vampire show, and a remake of an old soap at that, why not two, and have one be ORIGINAL?). <i>Scrubs</i> is Television Par Excellence, but the way NBC plays with it, moving it all over the schedule willy-nilly, tells me they don't care much for it (naturally) and it's probably not long for this world. <i>The Simpsons</i>, thank God, remains one of the silliest, smartest, most wonderful shows on television and I hope they can keep it up another fifteen years; and <i>Arrested Development</i> is truly superior High Quality TV which apparently few people are watching (sadly). I'm with Matt Roush who complained about FOX breaking up their strong Sunday lineup by scheduling the really off-putting <i>Oliver Beene</i> in-between <i>King of the Hill</i> and <i>The Simpsons</i>. With the preponderance of truly stupid "reality" shows littering the schedule ("The Littlest Groom"!?!? How low CAN they get?), Sunday night on FOX had become the only place where I could just put on one channel and watch from 6 - 9 (don't ask me to explain Arizona's prime time schedule), but now I have to flip channels for a half-hour waiting for <i>The Simpsons</i> to start. Before anyone says it, I honestly don't think I'm ready to just turn the TV off. Yet. I know, I know, there are people out there who can live without it (including the mutant I live with), but I grew up in a household where the TV was on pretty much any time someone was home. I'm used to it, and usually I like it. TV is entertainment, distraction, white noise, information box, and, well, I'm kinda like Homer when it comes to sweet, sweet TV. ;)

Unfortunately, much like so much mainstream music today, mainstream television, well, sucks.</lj-cut>